diff --git a/background/background.js b/background/background.js
index cab15047..398265e6 100644
--- a/background/background.js
+++ b/background/background.js
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ if ('commands' in chrome) {
 // *************************************************************************
 // set the default icon displayed after a tab is created until webNavigation kicks in
 prefs.subscribe(['iconset'], () => updateIcon({id: undefined}, {}));
-updateIcon({id: undefined}, {});
 
 // *************************************************************************
 {
@@ -59,24 +58,6 @@ updateIcon({id: undefined}, {});
         browserUIlanguage: chrome.i18n.getUILanguage(),
       });
     }
-    // TODO: remove in the future
-    // embed style digests
-    chrome.storage.local.get(null, data => {
-      const digestKeys = Object.keys(data).filter(key => key.startsWith('originalDigest'));
-      if (!digestKeys.length) {
-        return;
-      }
-      chrome.storage.local.remove(digestKeys);
-      getStyles().then(styles => {
-        for (const style of styles) {
-          const digest = data['originalDigest' + style.id];
-          if (!style.originalDigest && digest) {
-            style.originalDigest = digest;
-            dbExec('put', style);
-          }
-        }
-      });
-    });
   };
   // bind for 60 seconds max and auto-unbind if it's a normal run
   chrome.runtime.onInstalled.addListener(onInstall);
@@ -156,7 +137,11 @@ contextMenus = Object.assign({
 
 // *************************************************************************
 // [re]inject content scripts
-{
+window.addEventListener('storageReady', function _() {
+  window.removeEventListener('storageReady', _);
+
+  updateIcon({id: undefined}, {});
+
   const NTP = 'chrome://newtab/';
   const PING = {method: 'ping'};
   const ALL_URLS = '<all_urls>';
@@ -203,8 +188,7 @@ contextMenus = Object.assign({
           setTimeout(pingCS, 0, cs, tab));
       }
     }));
-}
-
+});
 
 // *************************************************************************
 
diff --git a/background/storage.js b/background/storage.js
index f9e88609..84495745 100644
--- a/background/storage.js
+++ b/background/storage.js
@@ -84,25 +84,32 @@ var chromeSync = {
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line no-var
 var dbExec = dbExecIndexedDB;
+dbExec.initialized = false;
 
 // we use chrome.storage.local fallback if IndexedDB doesn't save data,
 // which, once detected on the first run, is remembered in chrome.storage.local
 // for reliablility and in localStorage for fast synchronous access
 // (FF may block localStorage depending on its privacy options)
 do {
+  const done = () => {
+    getStyles().then(() => {
+      dbExec.initialized = true;
+      window.dispatchEvent(new Event('storageReady'));
+    });
+  };
   const fallback = () => {
     dbExec = dbExecChromeStorage;
     chromeLocal.set({dbInChromeStorage: true});
     localStorage.dbInChromeStorage = 'true';
     ignoreChromeError();
-    getStyles();
+    done();
   };
   const fallbackSet = localStorage.dbInChromeStorage;
   if (fallbackSet === 'true' || !tryCatch(() => indexedDB)) {
     fallback();
     break;
   } else if (fallbackSet === 'false') {
-    getStyles();
+    done();
     break;
   }
   chromeLocal.get('dbInChromeStorage')
@@ -121,7 +128,7 @@ do {
       if (result === 'ok') {
         chromeLocal.set({dbInChromeStorage: false});
         localStorage.dbInChromeStorage = 'false';
-        getStyles();
+        done();
       } else {
         fallback();
       }
diff --git a/js/prefs.js b/js/prefs.js
index 7b021556..7938a475 100644
--- a/js/prefs.js
+++ b/js/prefs.js
@@ -241,6 +241,13 @@ var prefs = new function Prefs() {
   return;
 
   function doBroadcast() {
+    if (BG && BG === window && !BG.dbExec.initialized) {
+      window.addEventListener('storageReady', function _() {
+        window.removeEventListener('storageReady', _);
+        doBroadcast();
+      });
+      return;
+    }
     const affects = {
       all: 'disableAll' in broadcastPrefs
         || 'exposeIframes' in broadcastPrefs,